


Midnight in blue shadows

by amako



Category: Naruto
Genre: Dissociation, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Intimacy, Nightmares, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Post-Fourth Shinobi War, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, This is so soft, and kind, sakukarinweek2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-27 08:42:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16699183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amako/pseuds/amako
Summary: It's past midnight and she's in pain.





	Midnight in blue shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Written for SakuKarin Week 2018  
> Day one : Healing/Touch

It's past midnight and she's in pain.

She's been in pain for a long time, truth be told, and she's not sure she remembers what it feels like to not suffer. But that's a kind of pain she's so used to, that's so profoundly anchored into her core being, that sometimes- well, sometimes she kind of forgets she's not supposed to hurt.

It's past midnight and she's in pain.

She doesn't know who to go to for help. She's not even sure she's supposed to ask for help. Won't people judge her? Won't they look at her wounds and wonder, ask all the wrong questions, hurt her even more? She doesn't know how to heal herself, and she doesn't know what she can offer in exchange of healing. She can't remember what she's worth anymore. Did she ever even know that?

It's past midnight and she's in pain.

She knocks on Sakura's door anyway.

No one answers for long, terrifying minutes, so she turns around and walks away. The streets are cold and breathless, like they're trying to steal everything that make her herself and there's nothing she can do to escape it. She passes by a stone bench, just underneath Sakura's window, and she looks up, out of curiosity and maybe hope. A second later, a whirl of leaves she's still not used to slaps her in the face. She closes her eyes against the assault of wind and dead leaves and when she opens them-

It's past midnight and she's in pain, but Haruno Sakura is standing in front of her.

She's in her night clothes, a light yukata stopping at her knees and tied in a rush, half-open over a naked chest she refuses to linger on. Instead she focuses on the pattern covering the fabric, bright red and orange autumn leaves randomly filling the space on the light yellow clothing. It clashes horribly with Sakura's pink hair, she supposes, but it's dark and the moon and shadows are tainting everything in grey scale and blueish shadows.

 

“Can I help you, Karin?”

 

Sakura's voice is soft and warm, like the blanket she gave her as a birthday present because she was still settling in the village and had nothing to her name, not even proper bedding for the harsh winter nights of Konoha. The blanket is lilac with little swirls reminding of the Uzushio symbol. She likes it a lot.

 

“It's-” her throat is dry. She has to swallow a couple of times before being able to speak again. “It's nothing, I'm sorry I woke you up.”

 

It's strange how she can't quite focus on Sakura, like she's blurry on the edges, a vision in the dark she's starting to doubt slightly.

 

“Don't be silly, there must have been a reason for- dear summer gods, are you bleeding?”

 

She doesn't know why she reacts like that, but she draws her arm close to her chest and takes a step back. Suddenly, she can't quite remember why she came to see Sakura. Did she even know in the first place?

 

“-arin, Karin! I need you to focus on me, can you do that?”

 

She looks at Sakura, tries to look at Sakura but she fading and her voice, soft and warm voice, why is she talking to her.

 

“Karin, look at me. Here, can you feel my hand? I'm holding your right hand. Can you feel it?”

“Yeah, I can.” Is that her voice?

“Good, that's great. Can you squeeze it for me? Yes, good, that's perfect. Karin, you're dissociating. Do you know where you are?”

 

It's past midnight and she's in pain. She doesn't know much more. She doesn't tell Sakura that.

 

“I'm with you.”

“That's true. Do you know in which village we are?”

“This- is Konoha, right?” She's not so sure anymore.

“Yup, good ol' Konoha. You're safe, Karin. I promise you. Can I have your other hand? You don't have to give it to me, but can you at least lay it flat against your chest then? I can't let you scratch your arm any longer.”

 

She looks down at the arm which hand Sakura is holding and oh- she's right. She's bleeding. Was that why she came to Sakura's house? Was that where the pain was coming from?

She doesn't see why it's a bad idea, so she gives her other hand to Sakura.

 

“Alright, brace yourself. I'm going to shunshin us inside.”

 

She nods and a second later, they're in Sakura's bedroom and the pink-haired woman is gently helping her sitting on the bed.

 

“I'm going to heal you now, ok?”

 

Again, she nods. Sakura's hands light up in green and she soothes the aches with her gentle chakra, her soft, warm voice speaking nonsense while she does it.

And then, then it's like everything sharpens and the pain vanishes and Sakura is in focus again and-

 

“Karin? Are you okay?”

 

Oh, that's right. Her name is Karin.

 

“I don't want to go back to Oto,” she whispers.

“You're not.” Sakura sounds almost angry. Karin hopes it's not at her. “You're never, ever going back to Oto.”

“But Orochimaru-sama is here. He could take me back.”

 

Sakura's eyes flash white, too quick to be anything but a trick of the light (right?).

 

“He's not. He won't.”

Karin shrugs. “Sometimes he follows me, when I go buy some food.”

“Okay that's it. I didn't say anything when the fuckers reinstated him because he was useful but that's done now.” She brushes Karin's cheek with her knuckles. “I promise you, Karin, on my honor as a shinobi, that you won't see Orochimaru again.

“Well that's good. I don't want to.”

 

Sakura laughs, surprised and relieved.

 

“Do you want to sleep here for tonight? Tomorrow you can tell me more about what's been bothering you, if you like.”

 

Karin thinks that's a neat idea. She's not so sure the world won't become blurry again. So she lies down on the bed and Sakura takes off Karin's heeled shoes and her shorts, unbuttons her blouse and suddenly she's almost naked and Sakura isn't looking away.

The yukata has slipped from her shoulder and a naked breast is illuminated by a ray of moonlight. Karin stares, transfigured, at the little button of pink flesh on Sakura's chest. There is a big, ugly, raised scar around it, following her solar plexus. Karin swallows hard.

She leans forward, as slowly as she dares and she dips slightly until she can kiss the top of Sakura's breast. Sakura takes a sharp breath and her hand comes to rest on Karin's head, not moving, just there. Karin looks up and Sakura kisses the tip of her nose in turn.

 

“Let's sleep.”

“We'll talk tomorrow,” Karin says, just to be sure.

“We'll talk. I promise.”

“Let's sleep then.”

 

It's past midnight and Sakura is smiling.

 


End file.
